http://www.spiegel.de Daily news, analysis and opinion from Europe's leading newsmagazine and Germany's top news Web site. en Tue, 21 May 2013 12:28:39 +0200 Tue, 21 May 2013 12:28:39 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de http://www.spiegel.de/static/sys/logo_120x61.gif http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/big-data-enables-companies-and-researchers-to-look-into-the-future-a-899964.html#ref=rss Forget Big Brother. Companies and countries are discovering that algorithms programmed to scour vast quantities of data can be much more powerful. They can predict your next purchase, forecast car thefts and maybe even help cure cancer. But there is a down side. Fri, 17 May 2013 15:57:00 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/big-data-enables-companies-and-researchers-to-look-into-the-future-a-899964.html Forget Big Brother. Companies and countries are discovering that algorithms programmed to scour vast quantities of data can be much more powerful. They can predict your next purchase, forecast car thefts and maybe even help cure cancer. But there is a down side.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/press-review-on-court-ruling-on-automated-google-search-suggestions-a-900004.html#ref=rss A German high court has ruled that Google must remove automatically suggested search terms if they violate a person's privacy. Editorialists at the country's national newspapers see a defeat for the Internet giant and a victory for privacy law. Wed, 15 May 2013 14:41:06 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/press-review-on-court-ruling-on-automated-google-search-suggestions-a-900004.html A German high court has ruled that Google must remove automatically suggested search terms if they violate a person's privacy. Editorialists at the country's national newspapers see a defeat for the Internet giant and a victory for privacy law. ]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/court-orders-google-to-delete-search-suggestions-that-violate-privacy-a-899741.html#ref=rss A German court ruled Tuesday that Google's "Autocomplete" feature on search terms violates privacy laws in some cases. The company has been ordered to remove any suggestions that violate the rules. An entrepreneur sued after the algorithm linked him with Scientology. Tue, 14 May 2013 12:55:00 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/court-orders-google-to-delete-search-suggestions-that-violate-privacy-a-899741.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/new-memoto-mini-camera-captures-life-in-30-second-snippets-a-897900.html#ref=rss Swedish company Memoto is developing a camera that automatically documents the lives of users by snapping a photo every 30 seconds. The gadget could threaten privacy on both sides of the lens, critics warn. Fri, 03 May 2013 15:32:00 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/new-memoto-mini-camera-captures-life-in-30-second-snippets-a-897900.html Swedish company Memoto is developing a camera that automatically documents the lives of users by snapping a photo every 30 seconds. The gadget could threaten privacy on both sides of the lens, critics warn.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/special-commission-calls-for-internet-commissioner-in-germany-a-895412.html#ref=rss A special Internet and Digital Society Commission convened by parliament has released several hundred recommendations for addressing data protection and other Internet-related issues in Germany. Chief among them: establishing a permanent Internet commissioner. Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:01:00 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/special-commission-calls-for-internet-commissioner-in-germany-a-895412.html A special Internet and Digital Society Commission convened by parliament has released several hundred recommendations for addressing data protection and other Internet-related issues in Germany. Chief among them: establishing a permanent Internet commissioner.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/germany-waters-down-google-search-engine-legislation-a-885899.html#ref=rss A new law regulating the indexing of media articles by search engines like Google and Bing is likely to pass on Friday. The watered-down legislation won't force the kind of payments to publishers the Internet giant had feared. Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:33:51 +0100 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/germany-waters-down-google-search-engine-legislation-a-885899.html http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/netzpolitik/youtube-google-klagt-in-russland-gegen-zensurgesetz-a-883333.html#ref=rss Google legt sich mit Russlands Web-Aufsehern an. Der US-Konzern hat Klage gegen die Sperrung eines YouTube-Videos eingereicht. Angeblich will Google damit die Grenzen eines umstrittenen Zensurgesetzes ausloten. Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:13:00 +0100 http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/netzpolitik/youtube-google-klagt-in-russland-gegen-zensurgesetz-a-883333.html Google legt sich mit Russlands Web-Aufsehern an. Der US-Konzern hat Klage gegen die Sperrung eines YouTube-Videos eingereicht. Angeblich will Google damit die Grenzen eines umstrittenen Zensurgesetzes ausloten.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/driverless-cars-are-a-reality-but-face-acceptance-obstacles-a-880716.html#ref=rss The technology needed for driverless cars is here and could be ready for the market in less than a decade. Automation holds the promise of revolutionizing the automobile industry and making our streets safer, but will it spell the end of <i>Fahrvergnügen</i>? Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:44:44 +0100 http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/driverless-cars-are-a-reality-but-face-acceptance-obstacles-a-880716.html The technology needed for driverless cars is here and could be ready for the market in less than a decade. Automation holds the promise of revolutionizing the automobile industry and making our streets safer, but will it spell the end of Fahrvergnügen?]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/the-european-union-closes-in-on-data-privacy-legislation-a-877973.html#ref=rss The European Union is seeking to increase the private sphere of its citizens by strengthening data protection laws for the web. Large Internet firms and lobbyists are fighting the plans. Here's an overview of the debate in Brussels. Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:15:48 +0100 http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/the-european-union-closes-in-on-data-privacy-legislation-a-877973.html The European Union is seeking to increase the private sphere of its citizens by strengthening data protection laws for the web. Large Internet firms and lobbyists are fighting the plans. Here's an overview of the debate in Brussels. ]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/google-encourages-users-to-join-campaign-against-copyright-draft-law-a-870590.html#ref=rss Google is increasingly throwing around its power to improve its bottom line. The latest incident is a draft law in Germany that would force the company to share some revenues with newspaper publishers. Meddling in politics is certainly not illegal, but it could be risky. Mon, 03 Dec 2012 18:14:00 +0100 http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/google-encourages-users-to-join-campaign-against-copyright-draft-law-a-870590.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/anti-trust-suits-threaten-google-from-both-sides-of-the-atlantic-a-863213.html#ref=rss Google has long insisted that it is "not a conventional company." An increasing number of users, competitors and advertisers are starting to doubt that claim. As the intransparent search engine giant expands its offerings, companies that stand in the way claim they are being made to suffer. Anti-trust agencies on both sides of the Atlantic are listening. <i>By SPIEGEL Staff</i> Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:49:53 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/anti-trust-suits-threaten-google-from-both-sides-of-the-atlantic-a-863213.html Google has long insisted that it is "not a conventional company." An increasing number of users, competitors and advertisers are starting to doubt that claim. As the intransparent search engine giant expands its offerings, companies that stand in the way claim they are being made to suffer. Anti-trust agencies on both sides of the Atlantic are listening. By SPIEGEL Staff ]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/us-government-and-internet-giants-battle-eu-over-data-privacy-proposal-a-861773.html#ref=rss The US government, together with Google and Facebook, have launched a lobbying offensive against a proposed EU data privacy law that would strengthen users' rights to have information deleted. The issue has divided Germany's government, and privacy advocates think it still doesn't go far enough. Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:29:54 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/us-government-and-internet-giants-battle-eu-over-data-privacy-proposal-a-861773.html The US government, together with Google and Facebook, have launched a lobbying offensive against a proposed EU data privacy law that would strengthen users' rights to have information deleted. The issue has divided Germany's government, and privacy advocates think it still doesn't go far enough.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/german-capital-embraces-net-newbies-and-leviathans-a-857807.html#ref=rss This week, Google will open a high-profile office in the German capital, which has become a hub for technology firms. With the official opening next year of the Factory, a campus of companies including SoundCloud, entrepreneurs in the city hope to cement Berlin's reputation as Europe's leading city for start-ups. Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:12:00 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/german-capital-embraces-net-newbies-and-leviathans-a-857807.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/how-google-lobbies-german-government-over-internet-regulation-a-857654.html#ref=rss Search engine giant Google officially opens its hip new Berlin office this week. But the company has long been active in the German capital in its bid to influence government Internet policy. Its subtle approach to lobbying involves building an opaque network of PR professionals, activists and academics -- and its efforts are paying off. Tue, 25 Sep 2012 12:42:00 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/how-google-lobbies-german-government-over-internet-regulation-a-857654.html Search engine giant Google officially opens its hip new Berlin office this week. But the company has long been active in the German capital in its bid to influence government Internet policy. Its subtle approach to lobbying involves building an opaque network of PR professionals, activists and academics -- and its efforts are paying off.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/google-autocomplete-former-german-first-lady-defamation-case-a-856820.html#ref=rss Search engines attempt to guess what users are looking for and offer them suggested words. But can these terms constitute defamation? Former German first lady Bettina Wulff says they do, and is suing Google over searches that pair her name with terms like "prostitute." Google maintains it is an automatic mechanism. Thu, 20 Sep 2012 15:45:30 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/google-autocomplete-former-german-first-lady-defamation-case-a-856820.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/defamation-case-by-bettina-wulff-highlights-double-standard-at-google-a-854914.html#ref=rss Former German first lady Bettina Wulff has taken on Google over search terms that link to false rumors that she used to be a prostitute. The company argues that it generates such terms based on "objective factors," but it's not that simple. Google has suppressed undesirable results before in response to powerful lobby groups. Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:00:00 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/defamation-case-by-bettina-wulff-highlights-double-standard-at-google-a-854914.html Former German first lady Bettina Wulff has taken on Google over search terms that link to false rumors that she used to be a prostitute. The company argues that it generates such terms based on "objective factors," but it's not that simple. Google has suppressed undesirable results before in response to powerful lobby groups. ]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/max-mosley-sues-google-in-landmark-battle-over-digital-rights-a-853008.html#ref=rss Former Formula One head Max Mosley's name is synonymous with scandal thanks to a British tabloid and, years later, Google. Compromising images can still be found using the search engine, and Mosley has launched a broad legal offensive in Europe to force Google to filter out the photos. It could become a landmark digital-rights case. Fri, 31 Aug 2012 09:10:21 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/max-mosley-sues-google-in-landmark-battle-over-digital-rights-a-853008.html Former Formula One head Max Mosley's name is synonymous with scandal thanks to a British tabloid and, years later, Google. Compromising images can still be found using the search engine, and Mosley has launched a broad legal offensive in Europe to force Google to filter out the photos. It could become a landmark digital-rights case.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-lawmakers-propose-charging-fees-to-aggregators-like-google-a-852965.html#ref=rss The government of Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to require Google and other aggregators to pay for reproducing content from news websites. Her cabinet on Wednesday agreed on a draft law that would impose a fee even for tiny snippets of text. Web activists are outraged. Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:18:07 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-lawmakers-propose-charging-fees-to-aggregators-like-google-a-852965.html The government of Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to require Google and other aggregators to pay for reproducing content from news websites. Her cabinet on Wednesday agreed on a draft law that would impose a fee even for tiny snippets of text. Web activists are outraged.]]> http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/google-suche-schlechtere-google-platzierung-fuer-piratenseiten-a-849687.html#ref=rss Schlechtere Platzierung: Webangebote, gegen die wegen Urheberrechtsverletzungen viele Beschwerden eingehen, will Google in seinen Suchergebnissen künftig herabstufen. Websites wie YouTube, Facebook und Tumblr soll das System aber nicht schaden. Mon, 13 Aug 2012 11:14:00 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/google-suche-schlechtere-google-platzierung-fuer-piratenseiten-a-849687.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/americans-may-have-to-wait-for-europe-for-better-data-protection-a-849372.html#ref=rss Google has been forced to pay $22 million in fines this week, a record for data privacy violations but small change for the giant corporation. Internet companies benefit from America's lax privacy and data protection laws, which are unlikely to change any time soon. It's a stark contrast to Europe, where the EU wants to toughen its laws -- and apply them to American companies. Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:42:03 +0200 http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/americans-may-have-to-wait-for-europe-for-better-data-protection-a-849372.html Google has been forced to pay $22 million in fines this week, a record for data privacy violations but small change for the giant corporation. Internet companies benefit from America's lax privacy and data protection laws, which are unlikely to change any time soon. It's a stark contrast to Europe, where the EU wants to toughen its laws -- and apply them to American companies. ]]>